Racism by Justin Bieber

A video surfaced of Justin Bieber using the n-word this weekend in a candid moment that was recorded several years ago, when he was 15. TMZ claims that they had access to it four years ago but decided not to post it because he was so young back then and, according to them, had immediately expressed remorse.

JB has since issued an apology, likely written by his representatives:

As a young man, I didn’t understand the power of certain words and how they can hurt. I thought it was ok to repeat hurtful words and jokes, but didn’t realize at the time that it wasn’t funny and that in fact my actions were continuing the ignorance. Thanks to friends and family I learned from my mistakes and grew up and apologized for those wrongs. Now that these mistakes from the past have become public I need to apologize again to all those I have offended.

I’m very sorry. I take my friendships with people of all cultures very seriously and I apologize for offending or hurting anyone with my childish and inexcusable mistake. I was a kid then and I am a man now who knows my responsibility to the world and to not make that mistake again.

Ignorance has no place in our society and I hope the sharing of my faults can prevent others from making the same mistake in the future. I thought long and hard about what I wanted to say but telling the truth is always what’s right. Five years ago I made a reckless and immature mistake and I’m grateful to those close to me who helped me learn those lessons as a young man. Once again….I’m sorry.

Well, as far as celebrity apologies go, this one doesn’t suck.

It’s not “I’m sorry that you were offended”. It’s “I’m sorry THAT I OFFENDED YOU”.

Are you surprised?

“I prayed, ‘God, you don’t want this Jewish kid to be Justin’s man, do you?...God, I gave him to you. You could send me a Christian man, a Christian label!’” -- Pattie Mallette in The New York Times, 2009.

Mallette, Bieber’s mother, was referring at the time to Scooter Braun. Consider too the influence of his sketchy father. And, in the video below, you hear that woman who speaks up at the end? Even as his friends are telling JB not to say, don’t say it, by the time he’s done, there’s an ADULT WOMAN in the background there laughing, and giving him tips on how to make that joke funnier. With a motorcycle.

What chance did he have?

And let’s not make this just about Justin Bieber who is so famous, he’s getting called out for it. At the very least, he’s getting called out for it by the world. Not even JB could get away with it. You know who gets away with it?

The people you went/go to school with.

How about what goes on on college campuses, at fraternities and sororities – institutionalised, socially accepted, culturally CELEBRATED racism. Parties themed around racism. Those people, now, might be getting some negative spotlight in these times but think about where they come from. Think about how they bond and protect and collectively go on to run businesses, major businesses, and support political campaigns, safeguarded by a secret code and a common perspective.